<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>When the World Grows Quiet by bearinapotatosack</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012892">When the World Grows Quiet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bearinapotatosack/pseuds/bearinapotatosack'>bearinapotatosack</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TrekTober2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Annoyed Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Medical Professionals, Napping, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Sleep Deprivation, Sleeping Together, Trektober 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:13:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bearinapotatosack/pseuds/bearinapotatosack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He felt dead on his feet, all three of them did. How long had he been awake now? He couldn't think.</p><p> ~~</p><p>It's just another day in the 'Fleet. Another crisis, another day.</p><p>~~</p><p>TrekTober2020- Day 14- Medbay</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Christine Chapel &amp; Geoffrey M'Benga &amp; Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Christine Chapel &amp; Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Geoffrey M'Benga &amp; Leonard "Bones" McCoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TrekTober2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trektober 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>When the World Grows Quiet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He felt dead on his feet, all three of them did. How long had he been awake now? He couldn't think.</p><p><br/>
All his mind was focusing on, through the overwhelming fatigue that made his brain feel like it was melting, was sleeping in a bed. Any bed he could, which just to be happened to be his own. </p><p><br/>
There had been another crisis, a Klingon ship and a possible Federation deal to fight over, just another day in the 'Fleet. He'd been woken up halfway through his sleeping shift by the shockwave rippling through the ship and before he finished his coffee he was already elbow deep in a patient. </p><p><br/>
M'Benga had carried on his shift, despite already doing eight hours straight, and Chapel had been right behind him, just as tired as the rest of them. </p><p><br/>
He couldn't honestly say he remembered enough to write a report, not that he was thinking of that at all. Yet again, his one track mind was solely focused on that bed. The glorious, warm, comfortable bed. </p><p><br/>
The bridge crew had gone to bed at the end of Beta shift, but now Gamma shift was almost ending and Leonard wasn't even sure if any of this was real or just a bad dream. He couldn't deny he was jealous, as much as he loved them all, there was always a subtle annoyance at the Bridge crew. </p><p><br/>
He knew it wasn't right, but when were feelings ever right. They had to make difficult decisions, yes, but who was still suffering the end results of missions gone wrong even weeks afterwards? Everyone on the ship knew stress but there was nothing quite like the hot, seething rage that stress brought on when there were already three surgeries going on, two people waiting and Jim just hobbled in with a broken leg, broken arm, possible concussion and that grin on his face.</p><p><br/>
He was just tired. Needed to collapse for a good sixteen hours and get more than an hours nap in the on call room. </p><p><br/>
He couldn't deny these rages were becoming more common though, and he knew he should probably write it all down, consult his staff and hold a meeting about it but he let himself forget until it happened again, and then again. He was going to forget again, he'll probably combust before he actually addresses it. </p><p><br/>
"Leonard, you're zoning out," Christine said, her words slurred as she pokes him. "You need to unlock the door,"</p><p><br/>
They'd all been staying awake from hypos, coffee and stress for the past thirty hours and finally it was wearing off. </p><p><br/>
"Computer, remind me to write down all the issues I have with the current relationship between the Bridge and Medbay and also remind me to schedule a meeting with the Bridge Crew when I wake up," Leonard said as he stabbed the code in to lock the door again.</p><p><br/>
Their shoes, socks and blue shirts were discarded on the dusty red rug. His eyes felt itchy and skin was shiny with a layer of grease and sweat. </p><p><br/>
He collapsed first, flopping face first onto the side of the mattress against the wall. Christine slid into a ball next to him and Geoffrey went smack, spread-eagle on the rest of the mattress left over. </p><p><br/>
This wasn't the first time they'd done this, he'd lost count how many times they'd passed out in each other's beds and fell into a dreamless sleep. He knew he'd regret sleeping in his uniform in the morning, and not brushing his teeth, and not getting something to eat.</p><p><br/>
But, luckily, his thoughts cut off as he slipped away into unconsciousness.</p><p><br/>
~~</p><p><br/>
Jim was humming to himself, happy that they'd averted another crisis, happy that no one had died and happy that they'd have an easy few days. Hopefully.</p><p><br/>
As he was on his way to the bridge, the Boatswain's Whistle went off, Uhura's slightly fatigued voice coming through the COMM system.</p><p><br/>
"Captain, Dr. McCoy, Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel have not turned up to their shift, can you please investigate it?" </p><p><br/>
He quickly answered and turned on his heel to the turbolift, mind switching to anxiety as he thought up all the possibilities of Bones' whereabouts. Now he thought about it, he hadn't seen him since he tried to be diplomatic, had a misunderstanding and arrived in the overflowing main ward with the usual broken bones.</p><p><br/>
Leonard hadn't spoken too much. His eyes were masked with a feign of calm, which Jim immediately saw through as he was saved his normal lecture and pushed towards the lift as soon as he was healthy again. </p><p><br/>
They'd all worked too hard, too long, too much. Scotty had almost fell asleep directly on the floor of the crowded engine floor, Chekov almost changed their entire course of direction when his head dipped onto the desk. </p><p><br/>
He couldn't imagine how tired the medical staff were, from the few bits he'd heard in one of the mess halls, they'd been fixing the crew for a full 24 hours. This wasn't even unheard of, everytime they faced a new challenge, sickbay was overwhelmed with injuries, surgeries, check ups, rescheduling appointments, physicals, vaccinations and cures. His mind hurt just thinking about it all.</p><p> </p><p>He stopped outside the door, a plaque saying 'Dr. Leonard H. McCoy' was placed next to it. The lock was on. He took a deep breath and prepared his best 'wake up' smile, tapping in his Captain's override and strolling in.</p><p><br/>
Only to stop in his tracks. </p><p><br/>
His CMO was furthest away, his arm instinctively thrown over Christine next to him as a low grumble, that turned out to be him snoring, drifted through the air. Geoffrey was on the end, his hand hanging over the edge as his other arm lay on the pillows his head was resting on. Christine was wedged comfortably between the two in a ball, a small smile on her face as she nestled deeper into the covers.</p><p><br/>
He whispered into his communicator as he stepped backwards, "They're resting, give them as much time as they need and please supply extra staff if they're required," </p><p><br/>
His smile returned just as the doors closed and he made his way back up to the Bridge, where his similarly tired friends sat. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I. Love. These. Three.</p><p>And it makes me sad how Christine and M'Benga weren't in AOS, they could've been amazing. Who do you think could play them? I like Rosamund Pike for Christine and Chiwetel Ejiofor for Geoffrey. </p><p>Hope you enjoyed this, leave a kudos and a comment if you did!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>